Must Be Dreaming
by Pieces Of Hope
Summary: Why is it, when you're in love...it gets harder to tell the difference between dream and reality? Kenshin and Kaoru are getting tired of the tension...maybe it's time to step up, let loose, and really be in love.
1. Firey Kiss

**Must Be Dreaming-**

_Chapter 1-Fiery Kiss? …Dream…_

_Kaoru's eyes closed as she felt Kenshin's arms wrap around her body. He smiled slyly as he placed soft, tender kisses along her neck and face; letting her smell of jasmine engulf his senses. He pulled away for a moment and his eyes softened but still held so much passion and fire it was almost overwhelming. He lifted his hand and pulled at the ribbon that held her hair in place, it fell down her back in one swift motion. She opened her eyes and smiled at him coolly. She watched Kenshin, as he placed the ribbon in his mouth pulling it ever so gently between his lips._

"_Why taste that, when you can taste me?" She asked playfully. Taking the ribbon out of his mouth and placing her lips on top of his. He answered back without words as he made the kiss more passionate, deepening it, and thus created magic between them. When he pulled away, he grinned._

"_Let me have you Kaoru." he said in a whisper. He was laying on top of her now. Her eyes wide in emotion and love, while his narrowed in excitement and desire._

"YES KENSHIN!" She answered in full consciousness. She sat straight up, her blankets flying off to the middle of her legs. She panted and held her hand to her heart, closed her eyes, and tried to come to grips that it was all a dream. There was no heated, romantic kiss. Kenshin didn't want her, and it stung.

She sighed then turned her head towards the shoji, upon hearing fast padding and the sliding of her door. Kenshin now stood in the doorway, his eyes sharp with worry. "Nani Kaoru-dono? Are you alright?" He asked in the same breathless manor as her dream.

"Hai, hai. Go back to bed Kenshin." She took the blankets, which were earlier flung across the futon and pulled them up to her chin as she set herself back down.

When she still felt the cold breeze from the night air she got up again to see Kenshin was still looking at her. She couldn't read his face though, it was too dark, and this annoyed her. She was too tired to be annoyed.

"What is it?" She asked, trying not to sound disappointed.

"Well," he answered back tightening his hands into fists. He wasn't really sure what to say. He didn't want to leave, but he had no right to stay in Kaoru's room. They were not married, and they were not really considered to be together either.

So he had no excuse, none but the truth, and no way in hell was he gonna tell her that!

That would sure make interesting conversation wouldn't it? Yea, Kaoru, I'm madly in love with you, so, uh, I also wanna sleep with you, let's hit it! Kenshin inwardly sighed, so pathetic.

He saw a hand wave in front of his eyes, "HELLO KENSHIN!" She shouted in his ear. He awoke from his separate thoughts rather quickly now that Kaoru was so close to him. His cheeks turned red and he started coughing with embarrassment. Then he cast his glance downward, lowing his head so his bangs hung in front of his face.

Kaoru blinked in confusion, then sighed. "I'm okay." She said again, trying to sound like she was in a better mood. "It was just a dream is all." She said absent-mindedly. She walked back to her futon, hoping to get some amount of sleep.

Kenshin's head popped up. She had a dream? Then she called out his name, screamed it in fact. BINGO! "Kaoru-dono, you had a dream about Sessha?" he asked, feeling slightly anxious.

"Aa," She said. She wasn't really paying attention to the words that were coming out of her mouth. She was so drained from that dream.

"Need more sleep…" she whispered to herself.

Kenshin grinned. It really wasn't that much of a feat though; but if he had heard all the details of said dream, different story. Completely.

He nodded his head and turned around and left her bedroom. He shut the shoji and walked back briskly to his own room. He stretched his arms over his head when he entered then hopped right into his futon. He fell asleep rather fast too…

_"KENSHIN!" Kaoru screamed from a nearby room. Kenshin's eyes sprung open, he hopped out of bed, and threw open his door rushing to get to her._

_"KENSHIN!" She screamed again. He stopped in front of the room where she called. He pushed the door open…and his mouth dropped to floor at the sight ahead of him._

_Kaoru lay before him, her yukata tied loosely in the middle, showing an ample view of her breasts._

_"Oh Kenshin!" She said, getting off the futon, her yukata still held together, Kenshin was…somewhat…grateful. He didn't want a nosebleed. That would be really humiliating…_

_"You came to me!" She said excitedly. She flung her arms around his neck and pressed her chest into his. He gasped, not from lack of air, more like…lack of a heartbeat. She looked into his eyes and smiled._

_"Kenshin, can you kiss me?" She asked shyly. A light pink came to her cheeks as she looked down quickly, then back up at Kenshin. "Please? I would love it so much…" She leaned in whispered in his ear. "If you were my…first…"_

_Kenshin narrowed his eyes passionately and nodded. He leaned down and carefully captured her lips with his own. Passion built between the two._

_He pulled away and made his way towards her neck, slowly going up towards her ear. "How was that?" he said in a husky whisper only she could hear._

_"Wonderful…" She said back. "Kenshin?"_

_"Hmm?" he said in between kisses._

_"I need you to know…"_

Kenshin woke with a start. He blinked and rubbed his eyes. He looked around at his surroundings then slumped. "Damnit!" he cursed. "I must have been dreaming!"

* * *

The next morning, as always, Kenshin was up at the crack of dawn. Despite the disappointment of the dream, he was feeling much brighter today.

And then she walked in, already dressed and ready to brighten everyone's day. Well, that's what Kenshin believed anyway.

She smiled at him, "Hello there Kenshin." Obviously she too was in a better mood then the night before.

He grinned back at her, then his brow furrowed. He noticed that Kaoru's bottom lip was bleeding; the winter season had made her lips chapped. She had not noticed it and since Kenshin was feeling rather bold, he walked up to her and gently ran his finger along her lip.

Kaoru blushed, "Nani?" She faltered. She touched her lip with her index finger then glanced at Kenshin.

"It was only bleeding, that it was." He said calmly, taking a piece of cloth from the counter and wiping the blood away. He furrowed his eyebrows again; I'd rather kiss her lips, then touch them. He thought bitterly. I have no one to blame but myself I suppose.

He grimaced, then turned to Kaoru who was still a bit shell shocked about the whole lip touching thing. Daring aren't we, Himura-san, spoke Kaoru's devilish inner monologue. She grinned wickedly, "Thanks."

* * *

Surreal, completely surreal, from breakfast to midday chores, it was completely normal. But everything has to get so damn coincidental!

Kaoru watched as Kenshin brought the laundry in from drying. He held the basket full of Kaoru's things, which she had recently decided to do herself, in front of his face. He brought it to her room though. Only because he was gentleman, and to make a lady carry this heavy load would be very rude indeed.

He tapped her shoji with his foot and tried his best to keep his balance. She opened it, and quickly reached for the basket. "Let me help baka!" She scolded.

"I can handle it Kaoru-dono!" His voice sounded a bit muffled. He wobbled in and set the basket down. Her eyes widen at the sight in front of her.

There he was, kind of sweaty, gi a little more open then usual…and one of her ribbons hanging from his mouth…

Kaoru giggled nervously and turned a deep shade of crimson. He pulled it out quickly from the other side of his lips, folded it hastily, and set it down in the basket. Wiping his brow with the back of his hand when the task was accomplished.

Somehow, Kaoru thought, it seemed sexier in my dream.

Probably because he was shirtless…wasn't he pant-less too? Maybe…

"Makes sense," She shrugged.

He blinked, "Oro?"

"Nothing…" She said in a singsong voice. She took the ribbon from the basket and placed it on her futon. "Thank you," she blushed. "Now I need to undress…"

Kenshin stared at her for a moment, "So?" he questioned in a cocky manor that was not his own. It was kind of like Sanosuke. Damn, that's never good.

"Excuse me!" Kaoru demanded, her cheeks, scarlet with anger.

Once again, Kenshin was thrown back into reality, painfully. "Oh…so yea!" He stammered, heading towards the shoji. "Right…" and with that, he ran off with speed that matched the almighty himself.

"What was that?"

"What was that!" This can't be me, he thought frantically. "This must be a dream, I would never do something like that to Kaoru…" He pinched his cheek until it turned red.

Leaning against a doorframe, he slumped down. "Fuck this."

"Whoa Kenshin, you must be pissed. You never swear, you and the sake of non-profanity. Or whatever the hell you always ramble on about." Sano said, coming from who knows where. He stopped right in front of Kenshin.

"Oro?" he looked up, "Sano? Forgive Sessha, I thought I was alone."

"Why not so cheery?" Sano cringed, "Problems with the wife?"

"Oro! What wife?" He asked, trying not to remember the Tanabanta incident. "Kaoru-dono?" He questioned, like he didn't know.

"Aa Jou-chan, moron! Who do you think?" Sano groaned. "Your fucking problems are so serious for no reason."

"Sano, I have my reasons…" Kenshin replied, his voice slightly sterner and colder then before.

Sano held up his hands, "I sure you do Kenshin. I'm just saying that…she loves you, and you know it! And don't you go start up with that, I'm not worthy shit you talk about." He shook his fist in front of his face. "Take her and radish her Kenshin!"

Kenshin tilted his head to the side, "Radish? Sano, it's ravish; I will ravish her, not radish her!" He stood up.

"Hell yea!"

"Not like that Sano."

"Damn it to hell Kenshin…"

Kenshin rubbed his hands together, "Sadly, nothing is that simple."

Sano scoffed, "Is too." He retorted. "You have the upper hand Kenshin!" He waved his newly bandage hand in front of his face. "Listen, your just gonna keep hurting her if you keep holding it in." He sighed and stood straight.

"I know that Sano, but it has been a very long time since Sessha has…done anything of a more passionate nature." He absent-mindedly rubbed his cross-shaped scar.

"No doubt in my mind." Sano said back.

"She had a dream about me, so she says." Kenshin started walking, Sano followed.

"Seriously?" he asked. "Like a sex dream?" He sneered.

Kenshin stopped, "Watch your tongue Sano," he snapped. He slightly turned his head, his eyes were narrow. "It's none of our business." He turned back and kept walking.

"Ah Kenshin," said Sano sighing. "You're half right my friend."

"How am I half right?"

"It was about you, you were in it." He trailed off. "Have you had any dreams about her recently?" Sano asked randomly, in that I know nothing tone of his.

Kenshin coughed. "N-nani?" He stuttered. "What makes you think that?" He turned around, his eyes flushed of all color while his face was bright red, and it matched his hair.

"Yea, I figured you did. Got to be putting all that energy somewhere." Sano sighed. "I dunno what to tell ya Kenshin."

"I kind of figured that out." He said calmly, finally regaining his composure. He stopped at the front of the dojo and sighed. "I have to figure this out on my own Sano…" Kenshin nodded to himself.

"Guess so," he agreed. "Best of luck." He waved and walked through the gate, "See ya later, I need to see Kitsune about some things."

Kenshin closed the gate behind him and sighed. "Yahiko will be back soon, I should start dinner." He grinned, coming upon an idea; "Maybe Kaoru would like to help…"

He walked to the kitchen to see her already starting to prepare the meal.

He snuck up behind her, using skills he was specially trained in. "Boo…" he whispered in her ear.

"Kenshin!" She gasped. She brought her hand to her heart. "You scared me."

"Gomen," he replied. "Let me help you…" he said calmly.

Kaoru didn't object, she just let him be. "Aa, Kenshin." She spoke quietly, flustered and embarrassed.

He gave her his warm Rurouni smile, only the best for his Kaoru.

Though on the inside…he wished he were still dreaming…

_Next Chapter- The Present! …Dream…_


	2. The Present

_Chapter 2:_ _The Present! …Dream…_

By the time Yahiko had gotten home that night, both Kenshin and Kaoru were dead asleep, or so he thought. This was kind of strange, considering Kenshin rarely went to bed so early. But, since Yahiko had found food waiting for him, he was very content.

Now can we talk about something else, maybe something important?

_Kaoru sat in her room, reading silently to herself. The hush of the night and the peacefulness of the world around her was one of the most wonderful feelings. Then she heard a soft knock on her door._

"_Kaoru, I have a present for you…"_

_She rose quickly to her feet and swiftly opened the shoji._

_There stood Kenshin, wearing a red yukata. "Kaoru," he said. "I have something for you…" He opened his yukata and there was only a red ribbon tied around his…_

Kaoru woke with a start, her whole body felt on fire. "Of all the dreams," She said, feeling her forehead. "None of them have ever felt so real…or have been so CLEAR! He would never do that!" It was almost scary. She shook her head, and rubbed her temple. "Go away dreams! Go away." She said to herself silently.

"When the hell are these dreams gonna let up?" She demanded from herself. She rested herself back down.

Of course, she knew the answer to her own question, but admitting it, would mean having to tell him. That would be harder then dealing with dreams.

Kenshin's eyes couldn't close; no they could close, he was just too afraid to do so. Why was he so afraid to do so? Because every time he closed his eyes…

There she was…

Yea, she wasn't bad at all, but if he saw her, he'd get all hard.

AH! Kenshin sat up. "Oh damn…" spat Kenshin. "That was horrible. How could Sessha think such wrong things about Kaoru-dono!"

Cause you're a man, a celibate man who is in love, said his inner voice.

Kenshin's reply to himself was a groan! It isn't fair! "What am I supposed do?" he whispered harshly to the heavens.

"Ah fuck this." His head hit the rest and he fell right to sleep.

Perfect!

_It was a hot night and Kenshin found himself bathing in the river, which was odd because he had not done that since his days of wandering, so he swam. _

_He made his way towards the deeper part of the river and dove down. He felt his hair go loose from its band and when he resurfaced he gasped for air. It was colder now, and he sighed. _

_Nothing really made sense, but he was enjoying the feeling of uncertainty. He tilted his head back towards the sky and took in the feeling of the current against his body. _

"_Kenshin…" he heard a voice from shore call so lightly, you could barely tell anyone called at all._

_But Kenshin heard and he turned his head slowly and gasped. There stood Kaoru, her yukata draped over her shoulders and she held the fabric tightly against her. _

_She stepped in the water and made her way towards him, tripping over slippery rocks and the harsh current of the water. He made his way towards her, catching her before she fell in. She grabbed onto his arms. She looked up at him, her bright blue eyes wide. "Kenshin?"_

"_Hmm?" he answered back, he put his hand on the small of her back and lead her closer to shore, noticing the way he yukata clung to her curves. She was goddess-like to him._

"_Kenshin," she smirked, "I have a present for you!" She opened her yukata and…_

Kenshin's eyes flung open; he sat up in his futon and ran his hand down his face. "What the fuck was that?" he asked himself. "She would never do that!"

* * *

The next morning, Kaoru asked Kenshin if he would come with her to the market. He obviously said yes, and they quickly left, at Kaoru's command of course. 

They browsed through stands. Kenshin smiled at Kaoru when she'd stop and gaze at kimonos or hair ribbons. So innocent, yet…so not! Kenshin rolled his eyes; that doesn't make any sense at all baka!

He sighed to himself then focused his attention back on Kaoru. She looked up at him and grinned. "Do you think this would like nice on me?" she asked, holding up a white ribbon with some kind of red decoration, flowers maybe?

He looked at the ribbon and then at Kaoru. Of course she would look nice with it! He thought, Kaoru well, she'd look nice…Kenshin stopped himself before thinking anything else.

"Kenshin, do you?" She asked, breaking through his thoughts.

He blinked back into reality, "Uh, of course, you'd look nice in anything Kaoru-dono!" Kenshin wondered where those words came from, thanking god, because those certainly weren't the words he was thinking.

She smiled and titled her head to the side, "Thank you!" She blushed. She stood up and walked to the clerk. She handed him the ribbon, "How much is this?"

The old clerk smiled at her, "You're a pretty girl," he said, "It was ten sen, but I'll let you have it for seven."

Kaoru grinned at him and clasped her hands together, "That's perfect! Thank you so much!" She handed him the money and he handed her the ribbon.

"Good-bye now." He said waving slightly to Kaoru. "Bye!" she said back as she wandered to other stalls.

Kenshin bowed his head and started to follow her.

"Wait!" Said the old man.

Kenshin stopped and turned to him, "Hai Sir?" he asked, a little confused, hoping this guy wasn't going to ask for the other three sen.

"Is that girl yours?" he asked. He glanced in Kaoru's direction. She had stopped at another stand nearby.

Kenshin didn't know how to answer that. He thought for a minute. Technically, she wasn't _his, _but then again, he was sure as hell not going to let anyone else have her. So, he guessed that was the right answer.

"Why?" he said instead.

The old clerk shook his head, "I was just going to say, that you are a lucky man. She seems like a wonderful woman." The old man smiled, "And I usually don't say things like that about woman."

Kenshin ignored the man's last comment; "She is a wonderful woman," he said to him, "Good-bye Sir."

He walked over to Kaoru and tapped her on the shoulder, "Shall we go to the Akabeko Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin asked. He believed she should be treated today.

"Hai!" She said happily. She turned around and almost skipped on the way there.

She was in a very good mood it seemed, so Kenshin smiled at her.

Because they were in Asakusa District, Akabeko was nearby. It was then, Kenshin spotted a tall dark haired man eyeing Kaoru, he walked up and stopped in from of them, and he smiled brightly at Kaoru. "So beautiful," he said taking her hand and kissing it lightly.

Kenshin's eyes widen, then narrowed angrily. He turned his head, clenched his teeth and tightened his hands into fists.

"Surely," the man spoke to Kenshin without looking at him, "You must have kidnapped a geisha..." he still kept his eyes on Kaoru, who seemed to turn redder every second, "To have a wife as goddess-like as this." He grinned at her and kissed her hand again. "Madam, what is your heavenly name?"

"K-Kamiya... Kamiya Kaoru..." She trembled as she spoke. He's very handsome, dark hair and eyes...but...She looked at Kenshin, who seemed to be struggling with something inside himself...Compared to Kenshin, he's nothing special. She grinned at her deduction and the man thought she was grinning at him, opps.

"Kaoru, that is such a wonderful name. It suits you, so lucky Sir..." he said to Kenshin again. What was this guy's problem!

Kenshin took Kaoru's hand from the stranger's and cringed, "Sadly Sir..." he said, trying to be AS POLITE as possible, even though he felt like going AMAKAKERU RYU NO HIRAMEKI on his ass...best stay calm...DAMN! "She is not my wife, that she isn't"

The man's eyes narrowed, "Really!" He said, a little too excited.

Kaoru blinked, what was going on here? "Then let me court her..." he said grabbing her hand and getting on one knee. "Couldn't I?"

Then Kenshin snapped...

Oh shit...

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!" Kenshin shouted, he grabbed Kaoru's hand and brought her behind him.

Kaoru was taken aback; she had never seen Kenshin this angry...when he wasn't in the middle of battle. What was he...?

Kaoru gasped in realization..."he's..."

The stranger, who was just a little bolder then he ought to be, stood up, towering over Kenshin.

This didn't faze him; Saito Hajime and Udo Jin-e were a billion times scarier then this creep. "What are you trying to do?" Kenshin laughed coldly, "Scare me?"

The man glared down at him, trying to hide his fear, so he thought if he acted bolder, this short guy would back down. "Listen, I can wipe the floor with you!" He shouted, his voice, somewhat shaky. "So you better be prepared for a rough fight!"

Kenshin rolled his eyes, "You better listen, I'd rather not fight, but since you'd rather taste the ground. Go right ahead..." He gave him a cocky smile and fingered his sword.

The man held up his hands and stumbled a bit, "Uh, you know," He said chickening out, "You can have her, she isn't all that pretty anyway!" He started to run, but fell to the ground in heap.

Kenshin stood behind him, his hand clenched in a fist. "She's beautiful...and you're lucky that's all I did! You bastard!" He turned around, grabbed Kaoru's hand and walked her away from the scene.

"WHAT WAS THAT?" She shouted, hitting Kenshin on the back of the head.

"OROOOO." He fell to the ground, head first. "Nani Kaoru-dono?" he asked, from the ground.

"Why were you acting like that, he was just being…nice…" She said, slightly smiling, "Maybe I wanted him to court me…" She crossed her arms over her chest and turned away, so he wouldn't see her smiling. "Maybe, you just ruined all my chances of happiness…"

Kenshin's eyes widened, "Do you really mean that Kaoru?" He asked, dropping the honorific. "I only want you to be happy, and if being with that man is what you really want…"

Kaoru spun around; seeing as her plan didn't work the way she wanted it to, "NO! BAKA! Let's go, okay?" She grabbed his hand and pulled him along, and he walked lamely behind her, a completely idiotic smile plastered on his face.

Kaoru walked into Akabeko, Kenshin numbly behind her. Tae grinned wickedly and got that funny gleam in her eye when she spotted the couple she so wanted to be together. She rushed to aid them.

"Ah! Kaoru-chan! Ken-san!" said Tae. "Are you too on a," She giggled, "date?"

"Maybe," said Kaoru, smirking.

Kenshin chuckled. Kaoru held his hand. Now where was the loser who wanted to be with her? He was probably in China. Ha!

"Hai!" Tae lead them to a booth, and they sat down. "I'll be back you too." They nodded, and then looked at each other.

"Well…" said Kaoru.

"Yes?" Kenshin asked.

"Um…" Kaoru looked down, "Nothing…"

Kenshin frowned, "I see."

Soon after, they returned to the dojo. Not many words were exchanged, like some wall had built between them. It was uncomfortable, and they both hoped it would be gone by dawn's rays.

They retired to there separate rooms…

_This time hoping for dreams…_

_Next Chapter- Stars and Snow! …Dream…_


End file.
